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Polar Nighttime Chemistry Produces Intense Reactive Bromine Events
Author(s) -
Simpson W. R.,
Frieß U.,
Thomas J. L.,
Lampel J.,
Platt U.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2018gl079444
Subject(s) - bromine , sunrise , troposphere , differential optical absorption spectroscopy , daytime , ozone , halogen , polar , photochemistry , sunset , chemistry , atmospheric chemistry , latitude , environmental science , ozone depletion , atmospheric sciences , absorption (acoustics) , geology , organic chemistry , materials science , physics , astronomy , alkyl , composite material , geodesy
By examining the origin of airmasses that arrive at Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, soon after polar sunrise (late January/early February), we identified periods when air arriving at Utqiaġvik had previously resided primarily at higher latitudes in near total darkness. Upon illumination, these airmasses produced high concentrations of reactive bromine, which was detected by differential optical absorption spectroscopy as bromine monoxide (BrO). These observations are consistent with nighttime production of a photolabile reactive bromine precursor (e.g., Br 2 or BrCl). A large polar night source of photolabile reactive bromine precursors would contribute seed reactive bromine to daytime reactive bromine events and could export reactive halogens to lower latitudes and the free troposphere.